The Czech Education System

Mgr. Zuzana Bílková, PhD. & Mgr. Zuzana Štefánková, Mgr. PhD.University of South Bohemia, Czech Republic

The lecture focuses on the development of the education system in the Czech Republic and its changes in a broader social and political context. The development of education began with the introduction of compulsory schooling during the reign of Maria Theresa, which laid the foundations for modern education.

After the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia in 1918, the school system remained similar to the original Austro-Hungarian system. After World War II, during the totalitarian regime, the school system was fully subordinated to Marxist-Leninist ideology, with an emphasis on uniform teaching and limited plurality. Alongside the mainstream education system, there was a segregated system of special schools for pupils with disabilities.

A fundamental turning point influencing the current form of education in the Czech Republic came in 1989 with the Velvet Revolution, which brought about the fall of the communist regime and a profound transformation of the education system. A process of democratization, decentralization, and liberalization of the education system began, including the strengthening of human rights, equal access to education, and the individualization of teaching, and schools offering alternative approaches were added to the system. Two major reforms of the system took place: in 2005, the common curriculum was abandoned, and there was greater internal differentiation of the education system, and in 2016, the transition to inclusive education was completed.

The lectureocuses on presenting the current state of the education system in the Czech Republic as an interconnected whole that encompasses all levels of education – from kindergartens through primary and secondary education to higher education. Attention is paid to the structure of the system, its functioning in practice, and the current principles on which it is based, i.e. the emphasis on accessibility of education, equal opportunities, individualization of educational paths, and support for the development of individual educational potential of each pupil.

Attention is paid to the system of support measures and the development of the school counseling system, which aims to support both students with special educational needs and gifted students.